A meeting for the 40th ACCORD (which is an acronym for Anniversary to Commemorate Civil Rights Demonstrations) committee will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 23 in the Willie Galimore Community Center, 399 S. Riberia St. All civil rights demonstrators and anyone willing to help out with this grand event -- scheduled for June 2004 -- are invited to attend.

In a ceremony on Dec. 10, the ACCORD group planted a tree at Twine Park, Riberia and Lovett streets, in honor of the first anniversary of the passing of Kat Twine, widow of City Commissioner Henry Twine. The Twines were instrumental in helping to bring the Rev. M.L. King Jr. here for the demonstrations in 1964, which helped bring an end to discrimination in the United States.

Joe Eubanks, who lived across Twine Street from Kat, was acting chairman. Speakers included Kat's sister, Jean White, Jessie Justice, Ann Breidenstein from United Way, Tim Burchfield (standing in for Mayor George Gardner) and historian David Nolan.

Paul Williamson from St. Augustine City Hall provided a tent, but even that was inadequate to shelter the gathered from the torrential downpour that coincided with the ceremony beginning.

"Fortunately, Father David Allert of St. Cyprian Episcopal Church was there to give the benediction," Nolan said. "He invited the assembled group to seek shelter in the beautifully restored church, where the program proceeded."

Carrie Johnson rendered a version of the song "Just Like a Tree That's Standing in the Water, We shall Not Be Moved" that she had reworked in honor of Mrs. Twine. The tree, an oak donated by Triangle Nursery, replaced the pine that met with an unfortunately premature death this year.

According to David Nolan, a TV crew from Public Television's "Florida Crossroads" filmed the event, interviewing Audrey Nell Edwards, who like Mrs. Twine, was one of the great heroes of the civil rights movement in The Nation's Oldest City, which led directly to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A reception featuring cakes baked by Cora Tyson and Mary Thomas was held afterwards in St. Cyprian Rectory.

For information, call Carrie Johnson at 825-1194 or Gwendolyn Duncan at 829-1814.

And what could be more suitable than to have a guy named "Holly" wish everyone a Merry Christmas?